Stocking-folder.



A. L4PATTERSON.

STOCKING FOLDER.

APPLIOATION FILED 511F114; 1910.

Patented Aug. 8, 1911.

WITNESSES: v

ATTORNEYS COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPR CO" WASHINGTON, D' C.

STATS ARTHUR LOW PATTERSON, OF ALBEMARLE, NORTH CAROLINA.

. STOCKING-FOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1911.

Application filed September 14, 1910. Serial No. 581,981.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR L. PATTER- SON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Albemarle, in the county of Stanley and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stocking-Folders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an improvement in the means for folding stocking tops preliminary to sewing the same to form the hem at the top of the stocking and the inven-.

tion includes means by the use of which the stocking may be folded accurately and on straight lines, as desired, ready for sewing on a hemming machine; and the invention consists in certain novel constructions and combinations of parts as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawing Figure l is a side view of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the folding device with the stocking in place and folded readyto be hemmed on a sewing machine, the hem being formed as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Fig. 4 is an elevation, partly in section, of a stocking with the completed hem folded back on the leg of the stocking. Fig. 5 is an elevation, partly in section, of a stocking showing the hem straightened out.

As shown, the machine comprises a main frame A to which is pivoted at B a lever C counterbalanced at C and arranged for operation by a treadle D which is connected by a pitman E with the lever C so the treadle can be operated to depress the folding head F from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 3 and the counterbalance C will readjust the lever to the position shown in Fig. 1 when pressure on the treadle is removed.

The folding device proper comprisestwo sections, one section constituting the head F and the other section including a pair of flat parallel blades G projecting upwardly from the main frame and spaced apart throughout from their upper to their lower ends as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and unobstructed at their upper ends, the supporting means for these blades G being in the form of bars H on the main frame extending along the outer sides of the blades G at the lower ends of the latter so the blades can be supported without any obstruction at their inner faces and so the supporting means H for the blades G will operate as stops to limit the downward movement of the folding head F when the latter is depressed as will be understood from Fig. 3 ofthe drawing. The other section of the folding device, being the head F, comprises three blades, an intermediate blade F being arranged to operate between the blades G of the base section and outer blades F which operate along the outer sides of the blades G when the head is lowered as best shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing. I thus provide two sections which are movable relatively with one section having two spaced apart blades and the other section having a blade operating along the outer sides of the blades of the first named section in such manner that if a stocking be passed between the blades G and its upper end brought down as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and the head F be then lowered, the upper end of the stocking can be folded back over the blades F to the posit-ion shown in Fig. 3 when by raising the head the fold of the stocking will be in proper position to be sewed at I, see Figs. 4 and 5 after which the stocking may be adjusted to the position shown in Fig. 5, ready for use.

The blades F, F and G are preferably made of flat plates of polished metal upon which the fabric of the stocking will slip easily in the use of the invention.

By the invention the ends of the stocking can be quickly folded and when folded will be on straight lines so that when the stocking is stitched as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, it will present a smooth, even appearance and be ready for use as will be understood from the drawing and foregoing description.

By my invention stocking tops may be folded to any desired width of hem which may be varied according to the length or 6X blades of the base section, and side blades operating along the outer faces of the blades of the base section, substantially as set forth.

2. A stocking folding apparatus comprising a base section having two spaced apart blades with the space between the said blades open and unobstructed at both ends, means on the outer side of and supporting the said blades at their lower ends, the upper ends of said blades being unobstructed, and a folding section movable relatively to the base section and having blades to operate along the outer sides of the blades of the base section with the said blades of the folding section unobstructed at their lower ends whereby a stocking leg may be drawn up along the jecting blades spaced apart throughout and free and unobstructed on their inner sides at both their upper and lower ends a rocking lever pivoted to the main frame and a folding head carried by the said lever and having means cooperating with the blades of the base section, substantially as set forth.

ARTHUR LOW PATTERSON. Witnesses:

R. L. SMITH, ESTHER L. LENTZ.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. (1. 

